by Betsy Herbert

You can find lots of books and blogs offering advice about how to de-clutter your house. But even after watching George Carlin’s brilliant stand-up comedy routine about "Stuff," most people still need an incentive to get started.

Incentives to off-load stuff

Until last year, I’ve always found that moving to a new space was the best incentive to unload unneeded stuff. Most of us beyond college age have to pay someone else to move our stuff, so it pays to get rid of the stuff you don’t really love or need before you move. After you book the movers, you’ve got an actual deadline. You’ve got to—“Get ‘er done.”

Last year, I decided to take a trip around the world and lease my house while I was gone. That rent money would give me a very nice, dependable travel income. My property manager advised me to put my stuff into storage, because most tenants would want to move their own stuff into the house.